Columbia Pulls Back on Retail Strategy, Pares Expenses to Prepare for Year Ahead
Citing a weak sales forecast for 2009, Columbia Sportswear Co. said it plans to table plans to open branded retail stores in several U.S. cities. The outerwear giant also cancelled plans to ramp up its marketing and advertising budget and said it was impl
Lorpen Hires U.S. Sales Manager
Lorpen, the designer of high performance socks for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, announced today that Bruce Barrows has been hired as U.S. Sales Manager. Barrows will be responsible for the marketing and sales of Lorpen socks within the U.S. and growi
SIA: Slowing Equipment Sales Impact Specialty Retail
According to the August-December SIA Retail Audit, retail sales in the SnowSports market declined 1.5% in 2008 to $1.88 billion. Most of the declines came from equipment categories, but apparel was also down in the low-single-digits. Accessories were the
Escalade’s CFO Resigns
Escalade, Inc. said it has accepted the resignation of Terry D. Frandsen as vice president and chief financial officer. Robert J. Keller, Escalade's president and chief executive officer, said that the company and Frandsen had reached a mutual decis
Luxottica to Destroy Pirated Glasses
Luxottica Group S.p.A. has been cleared to obliterate almost 144,000 pairs of counterfeit Ray-Ban glasses, uncovered during a raid of a Chinese distributor. The Milan-based maker of fashion and sports eyewear received a final order by the Consumer Protect
Macy’s to Cut 7,000 Jobs
Macy's Inc. plans to cut 7,000 jobs, or 4% of its workforce, as it expects sales to remain sluggish through 2009. No store closings were announced. Staff reductions and other moves to restructure the company's operations, including grouping stor
NRF: Retail Sales to Decline in 2009
Retail sales – excluding car sellers, gas stations and restaurants – are expected to decline 0.5% this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 economic forecast. This marks the first time the trade group projected a decline since it start
Kmart Introducing Athletic Line
Kmart is introducing an exclusive athletic footwear and apparel collection called Protege and created by NBA star Al Harrington. The launch of Protege is part of Kmart's footwear re-launch which will feature new and exclusive brands both in stores n
When Trade Shows Feel More Like Job Fairs
Not unlike other trade shows this last month, the PGA Merchandise Show last week continued the mood as the usually festive atmosphere worked to fight its way to the surface. Thursday seemed slow and quiet, though weather and flight delays may have played
SanMar Partners with OGIO for Promos
SanMar Corp., a supplier of imprintable apparel and accessories, entered into an agreement to gain exclusive distribution of all 54 OGIO products available in the promotional products industry…
PGA Show Rolls Out New Technologies in Tough Economy; The New Pro V1 Debuts
At the PGA Show in Orlando last week, the ‘new geometries’ launched two seasons ago that brought high-MOI to the norm now are slowly ebbing back toward traditional. For the most part, vendors appeared to be moving back toward a more traditional business
Pelican Products Acquires Hardigg
Pelican Products, Inc., manufacturer of plastic injection molded protective cases, acquired long-time competitor Hardigg Industries, manufacturer of roto molded protective cases. The transaction, valued at approximately $200 million, is believed to be the
Delta Swings to Profit; Will Close Soffe Plant
Delta Apparel Inc. reported that sales growth for the fiscal second quarter ended December 27 was fueled by gains at the Retail-Ready division, which is comprised of the Soffe and Junkfood businesses, while the Activewear segment, comprised of the Delta a
SIA 09: Youth Culture Expands Influence
SIA 2009 was a surprisingly lively show considering the widespread declines in many other trade and consumer shows in recent weeks. While Outdoor Retailer Winter Market reported a 5% decline in attendees, and ASR attendance was down significantly, SIA is
Hartmarx Files for Chapter 11
Hartmarx Corp., which makes the Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Lyle & Scott golf apparel collections, filed for Chapter 11 protection in an Illinois federal bankruptcy court, citing a “substantial decline” in sales to consumers and retailers as well as li
